This is a follow-up to another thread...
http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3065041
 
In the other thread, I asserted wrongly that ACT with FX Chains in the Pro Channel doesn't work.
 
I made this video trying to demonstrate it... If it moves too slowly, you can increase the speed using the YouTube controls in the bottom right corner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAgytAfBbEU
 
There are a few things to notice in the video.

• Firstly, I start off just using TH2 in the FX Bin on a Bus which works fine.
• I forgot to record the output from Sonar, so when I say 'hear it?' you can't hear it because I didn't record the Sonar output. Sorry for that.
• Next, I move TH2 to an FX Chain in the Pro Channel of the Same bus
• I'm not able to use Act to control the VST in the Pro Channel Directly
• Next, I map a control in the FX Chain to the Smart Control in TH2. During the video I have it locked to the TH2 and I don't really get things in the right order. I wish I had unclicked Enable and Lock, then clicked Enable, then clicked the TH2 plugin. If I had done this in that order, the Act Midi Controller would have mapped to the FX Chain not TH2, but that's by design.
• Next, I use midi learn for the Act Midi Controller to try to get control over just Smart 1 in the FX Chain in the Pro Channel. Only the Smart 1 nob has the focus, and I click on Smart 1 on the Act Midi Controller 1 and it learns both for the input gain and smart 1 (Around 3 minutes into the video). This behavior has been in Sonar for several versions, but it's the next step that catches me by surprise...
• Next, I click Options > Clear Midi Learn and use midi learn to successfully control only the Smart 1 nob.
• Next, I add another Smart nob in Th2 and map it to a nob in the FX Chain. - YAY! IT IS WORKING!!
• Next, I use midi learn to control the Smart 2 nob on the FX Chain with the midi controller and that works. - In my memory, it used to be that when you mapped more FX Chain controls to FX the Act Midi Controller wouldn't stay in Sync so you couldn't use midi learn to control them. This is no longer the case. The new nob shows up on the Act Midi Controller and you can use midi learn to control it.

General note: At 3:50 in the video, you see me move the smart nob in TH2 that is mapped to a nob in the FX Chain. The nob in the FX Chain doesn't mirror the movement. This is by design, I believe, but it does cause me confusion at times so I want to point it out. I can't always keep straight in my head what is mapped where as I mix. When a nob in an FX Chain is mapped to a nob in an Effect, it would be handy of the FX Chain would poll the effect for changes. Maybe a publish subscribe sort of relationship to keep them in sync. I believe I've submitted this idea to the ideas
 
 
 

For those who will try to use that in practice...

• In case you do not see some FX chain knob immediately in the ACT, your ACT mapping for FX chains is broken. That is easy to fix with ACT learn, do not forget  "touch" all FX Chain knobs/sliders in reverse order first and then all controls on surface in the corresponding order. That way the mapping will survive SONAR restart. To not repeat that many times, I recommend ACT learn some FX Chain with all possible controls (knobs, buttons, volume and gain). I repeat, that should be theoretical default in SONAR. But if you ever "played" with FX Chain ACT mapping, it stays "broken" till you fix that (as with any other ACT mapping).
• FX Chain ACT mapping stay the same for any FX Chain, even in case you rename it. If you manipulate with ACT mapping (not MIDI mapping!) in one FX Chain, the mapping will be changed in all of them. So it is better to change the order of knobs in particular FX Chain then ACT remap it.
• MIDI learn every time is an option, but do not forget that you can change unexpected parameters. When you "MIDI Learn", the control you move still change the parameter it was changing before, some such changes are hard/impossible to find! Do all "MIDI Learning" in empty project, that can save you sleepless night...

As in my video, you clear all midi learn on the options tab.

gswitz
As in my video, you clear all midi learn on the options tab.

I do not know why you clean MIDI learn. And I claim is is bad idea inside normal project.
 
Just an example: your current focus is some VST instrument you are using in the project. You open ACT MIDI and do "Clear all midi learn". Then you start MIDI learn again. You touch some control (in software) and then some hardware control. But in case your hardware control is sending CC8, while that is irrelevant for ACT, it sends "CC8 changed" to SONAR -> Omni -> VST. In case your VST react on standard MIDI, the "Balance" (CC8 is "Balance" according to the midi.org) in the VST is changed. And you do not even see that. After you have learned the control for ACT, it is no longer sending CC8 to VST, ACT MIDI plugin is blocking it.
 
I hit the problem with on VST volume (lucky it was obvious parameter!). That made some VST (do not remember which) close to silent, and till I have reloaded everything (including VST preset), I could not fix that. The reason I could understand only after I have written my own ACT capable plug-in...